Grain-heater.



F. BRENNER.

GRAIN HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1910. v 1,095,375. Patented May 5, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOuRAPl-l 60.. WASHINGTON. I74 C.

P. BRENNER.

GRAIN HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22; 1910.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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P. BRENNER.

GRAIN HEATER.

APPLIQATION FILED SE31. 22, 1910.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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Witnesses:

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FREDERICK BRENNER, 0E MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 0E ONE-HALF r0CHARLES '1. s'rocx, an, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

GRAIN-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed September 22, 1910. Serial No. 583,156.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnnDEnIoK BRENNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Heaters, of which the following 18 a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

The main objects of this invent-ion are to uniformly, effectively andeconomically dry and heat wheat and other grain preparatory tosubjecting the same to grinding or'other milling operations, andgenerally to improve the construction and operation and increase theefliciency of apparatus of this class.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts ashereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts inthe several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain heater embodying the invention;Fig. 2 is an end elevation as viewed from the left with reference toFig. 1 with parts omitted; Fig. 3 is an end elevation as viewed from theopposite direction with reference to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical crosssection on the line a i, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on theline 5 5, Fig. 4C, of a part of one of the quadrangular heatingchambers; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6 6, Fig. t; Fig.7 is a horizontal section on the line 7 '7, Fig. at; Fig. 8 is anenlarged longitudinal section on the line 8 8, Fig. 4; and Fig. 9 is adetail view of one of the agitators.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to et inclusive, the heatercomprises a number of quadrangular, square prismatic or rhombic heatingchambers 1, assembled horizontally one above another, with diagonallyopposite angles of each at the top and bottom thereof, a number oftriangular prismatic half heating chambers 2, and a number of triangularprismatic quarter heating chambers 3, assembled so as to form with thewhole quadrangular chambers 1, intersect-- ing zigzag or sinuouspassages 4: of substantially uniform cross section for the gravity flowof grain. The number, size and arrangement of these chambers may bevaried, in the present case the heating chambers are arranged in twogroups one above the other with a grain combining, mixing and equalizmgchamber or conduit 5 between them connecting the lower ends of thepassages 4 of the upper group with the upper ends of the passages 4 inthe lower group. The heater is provided at the top with a feed hopper 6,and at the bottom with a discharge hopper 7, the upwardly divergingsides of which form .the outer walls of the lower portions of thepassages 4t, opposite and parallel with the lower inclined sides of thebottom chamber. 7

The several heating chambers are closec at the ends by correspondinglyshaped heads or plates 8, 9 and 10, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6,and are supported and held in .the proper relation to one another byangle bar uprights or standards 11, horizontal tie bars 12 and spidersor fillers 13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the tie bars 12 are bolted atthe ends to the uprights or standards 11 and are provided on their innersides with bands or fillets 12 against which the edges of the adjoiningtriangular chambers bear. The spaces between the ends of the heatingchambers at the sides of the grain passages 4: are closed by the spidersor fillers 13, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 8. These spiders or fillersare thickened at the ends and are fastened by screws or otherwise to theuprights or standards 11, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7 They are formedat the intersection of their arms and of the grain passages 4, withoutwardly projecting hubs 14:, in which are mounted reciprocatingagitator bars 15. These bars are provided with radiating or transverserods or arms 16 which extend therefrom into the adjacent grain passages4: lengthwise thereof, as shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8. The lowest agitatorbar in the present case is provided with vertically depending rods orarms in the spout or lower part I of the discharge hopper 7 which alsoserves as a combining, mixing and equalizing chamber, while the lowestagitator bar of the upper group is provided with two rows of divergentarms projecting downwardly therefrom into the combining, mixing andequalizing chamber or conduit 5, and the upper agitator bar of the lowergroup is provided with a single row of rods or arms projecting upwardlytherefrom into said combining and mixing chamber between the divergentarms of the agitator above. The several agitator bars 15 are connectedat one end by strap rods 17 with eccentrics 18 on a vertical shaft 19,which is supported as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 by brackets 20, whichare bolted to the adjacent standards or uprights 11. At its upper endthe shaft 19 is provided with a bevel gear 21 meshing with a similargear 22 on a short horizontal shaft 22 supported on the upper bracket 20and provided with tight and loose pulleys 23. The heater is supported byleg or base sections 24, to which the uprights r standards 11 are boltedand which form the ends of the discharge hopper and also a closure forthe lower converging portions of the grain passages 4. They are alsoformed or provided with outwardly projecting hubs or bearings for thelowest agitator.

The discharge hopper 7 is provided with gates 25, which are pivoted orhinged to the lower edges of its sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Thepivot or hinge stems at one end of the gates are provided, as shown inFig. 2, with arms 26, projecting in opposite directions therefrom andconnected by a link 27, and one of the stems is provided with an arm 28for adjusting the gates to vary the area of the discharge opening of thehopper 7 and regulate the flow of grain through and from the heater. Thearm 28 is provided with a screw and thumb nut 29, by which it isfastened in adjusted position to a quadrant or are 30 on the adjacentleg or base section 2%. A vertical pipe 31 for supplying steam or otherheating medium to the heating chambers is connected by branch pipes 32,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7, with the several chambers, and thebranch pipes are provided with valves 33 arranged to control andregulate the supply of the heating medium to the several sect-ions ofthe heater independently.

A discharge pipe 34. is connected by branches 35 with the lower parts ofthe several heating chambers and these branch pipes are provided withcheck valves 36 which close toward said chambers and prevent back flowof the heating medium from the pipe 34 into said chambers and at thesame time permit water of condensation to flow freely therefrom whetherthe inlet valves 33 are open or closed. The branch pipes 35 leading outof the chambers 1, are bent downwardly at the inner ends thereof, asshown in Figs. l and 5, so as to remove all or practically all of thewater of condensation collecting in said chambers.

The whole chambers 1 and the half chambers 2, are preferably formed asshown in Fig. 4:, with longitudinal strengthening webs or partitions 87,dividing said chambers into compartments which communicate one withanother through openings 38 in the ends of the webs or partitions, asshown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

To increase the area of the heated surfaces to which the grain issubjected in its passage through the heater, and to further strengthenthe walls of the heating chan1- bers, said walls are corrugated in adirection lengthwise of the passages 1, as shown in Fig. 8. Thecorrugations oi? the walls fornr ing the grain passages also coiiperatewith the rods or arms 16 of the agitators to thoroughly stir and mix thegrain, said rods or arms approaching and receding from the opposingwalls of said passages as the agi tators move back and forth therein, aswill be seen. by referring to Fig. 8.

A quadrangular deflector or spreader 39, which may be made of sheetmetal and corresponds in shape and size with the whole heating chambers1, is supported at the ends upon the upper spider or filler in the feedhopper 63, forming the inner walls of the upper portions of the grainpassages 4 of the upper section of the heater. it serves to divide thegrain as it is delivered thereon from the spout or pipe 10 into twostreams and to distribute the same evenly to both passages 4. The spoutor pipe 10 terminates in two branches as shown in Fig. 1 and deliversthe grain in two streams upon the upper angle of the deflector orspreader 39 adjacent to the ends of the hopper, thereby distributing thegrain lengthwise thereof preliminary to distribution crosswise of thehoaaer to the )assa 'es 4:. The ruarter CD chambers 3 of the upper groupmay be connected by pipes 41 with the quarter cha1nbers 8 of the lowergroup and steam or other heating medium supplied to the upper pair anddischarged from the lower pair thereof, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In the operation of the heater, steam or other heating medium issupplied through the pipe 31 and its branches 32 to the heating chambers1, 2 and 3 and discharged there from through the pipe 31 and itsbranches 35. Grain supplied to the feed hopper 6 through the spout orpipe 4-0, iiows therefrom by gravity dow ward and alternately inward andoutward through the Zigzag or sinuous passages t in contact with theheated corrugated walls of the chambers 1, 2 and 3. During its flowthrough these passages it is constantly agitated by the rods or arms 16of the reciprocating agitators and is alternately brought together andmixed and separated into two streams at the in tersections of thepassages 4L. ihS the gain flows over the outer angles of the mainchambers 1 it is turned and further agitated and mixed so that everypart thereof is brought into contact with the heated walls of saidchambers and thereby iroughly and uniformly heated. In its pas: go fromthe upper group of heatin chambers to the lower group through thechamber or conduit 5, the two streams being brought together, agitatedand mixed, the temperature of the entire mass is equalized in caseportions of the separate streams passing through the upper part of theheater issue therefrom at different temperatures or in different conditions. As it flows from the combining, mixing and equalizing chamber orconduit 5 through the zigzag or sinuous passages a in the lower part ofthe heater and through the discharge hopper 7, the grain is furtherheated, agitated and mixed, so that when it is discharged from theheater, it has been thoroughly and uniformly heated and is in propercondition for the grinding and other milling operations to which it isto be subjected. lhe rate of flow of grain through the heater isregulated by the adjustment of the gates 25 controlling the dischargeopening of the hopper 7, and the supply of the heating medium to theseveral sections of the heater is controlled and regulated by theadjustment of the valves 83, according to kind and varying condition ofthe grain. \Vith the arrangement of the heating chambers and theconnections for supplying them with a heating medium as herein shown anddescribed, the heat to which the grain is subjected in its flow throughthe passages 4; along the walls of the chambers 1, 2 and 3, may becontrolled and regulated so as to secure the best results with grain ofdifferent kinds and in different conditions, it being possible with suchconstruction and arrangement of parts to cut off or regulate the heat indiiferent sections of the heater independ dently of other sections.WVith such provision for controlling and regulating the supply of theheating medium to the several sections or parts of the heaterinclependently of one another, grain entering the machine at differenttemperatures may be heated therein to and discharged therefrom at thedesired temperature without increasing or diminishing its flow, byadmitting the heating medium to or shutting it completely or partiallyoff from more or less sections or parts of the heater.

Various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of partsmay be made without departing from the principle and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a grain heater the combination of heating walls forming a grainpassage of oblong cross section, means for supplying heat to said walls,and a reciprocating agitator movable across said passage trans verselyto the flow of grain therein.

2. In a grain heater the combination of heating chambers havingcorrugated walls forming a grain passage of oblong cross section, thecorrugations running in the direction of the flow of the grain, meansfor sup plying a heating medium to said chambers, and a reciprocatingagitator movable across said passage in the direction of its greatestwidth transversely to the flow of grain therein.

3. In a grain heater the combination of a plurality of heating chambershaving imperforate walls forming transverse sections of the walls of aconduit for the fiow of grain by gravity, and means for supplying andcontrolling the supply of aheating medium to different chambers anddiiferent sections of the walls of said conduit independently of oneanother whereby a vari able length of the conduit in the direction ofthe flow of grain may be heated.

t. In a grain heater the combination of heating chambers having wallsforming a sinuous grain passage of oblong and sub stantially uniformcross section, means for supplying and regulating the supply of aheating medium to different sections of the heater independently of oneanother, and a reciprocating agitator movable across said passage in thedirection of its greatest width transversely to the flow of graintherein.

In a grain heater the combination of heating chambers having walls whichform intersecting sinuous grain passages of substantially uniform areain cross section throughout their length, means for supplying a heatingmedium to said chambers, and an agitator movable through said passagestransversely to the flow of grain therein.

6. In a grain heater the combination of a quadrangular prismatic heatingchamber and triangular prismatic heating chambers arranged to formopposite walls of sinuous grain passages which are of substantiallyuniform cross section and which come together above and below thequadrangular prismatic heating chamber diagonally opposite angles ofwhich lie in substantially the same vertical plane, and means forsupplying a heating medium to said chambers.

7. In a grain heater the combination of quadrangular and triangularprismatic heating chambers arranged to form intersecting grain passagesof oblong and substantially uniform cross section, means for supplying aheating medium to said chambers, means for feeding and evenlydistributing grain to the upper ends of said passages, and means forregulating the discharge of grain at the lower ends of said passages.

8. In a grain heater the combination of upper and lower groups of grainconduits arranged for the flow of grain therethrough by gravity, heatingchambers adjoining said conduits, a combining, mixing and equalizingchamber connecting the conduits of the upper with the conduits of thelower group, and means for supplying and for controlling the supply of aheating medium to the heating chambers of each group of conduitsindependently of the other.

9. In a grain heater the combination of upper and lower groups of grainconduits arranged for the flow of grain therethrough by gravity, heatingchambers adjoining said conduits, a combining, mixing and equalizingchamber connecting the conduits of the upper with the conduits or" thelower group, means for supplying and for controlling the supply of aheating medium to the heating chambers of each group of conduits indcpendcntly ot the other, and movable agitators arranged to work in saidconduits and the connecting chamber.

10. In a grain heater the combination of upper and lower groups of grainconduits arranged for the flow of grain therethrough by gravity, heatingchambers adjoining said conduits, a combining, mixing and equalizingchamber connecting the conduits oi the upper with the conduits of thelower roup, means for regulating the flow of grain through saidconduits, and means for supplying and for controlling the supply of aheating medium tothe heating chambers of each group of conduitsindependently oi. the other.

ll. in a grain heater the combination of walls forming a plurality ofgrain passages, means for supplying heat to said walls, a (.lischargehopper into which said passages open, and a reciprocating agitatormovable transversely to the flow of grain and having cross armsprojecting into the hopper and into the passage leading therefrom.

12. In a grain heater the combination of two groups of heating chambershaving walls arranged to form intersecting divergent and convergentgrain passages, a combining, mixing and equalizii'ig conduit connectingthe grain passages of the upper group with the grain passages of thelower group and means for su 'i 'ilying a heating medium to saidchambers.

ii. In a grain heater the combination of horizontally disposed heatingchambers hav ing walls forming divergent and convergent passagesintersecting each other at intervals tor the [low oi": grain, means forsup ilvin a heatin medium to said chambers and agitators consisting ofhorizontally reciprocating bars located at the intersections of saidpassages and having transverse arms extending lengthwise into thepassages.

14:. in a grain heater the combination of a number of heating chambersforming transverse sections of impertorate walls of a grain conduit, andpipes connected with said chambers for supplying a heating mediumthereto and provided with valves a rranged to control and regulate thesupply ot the heating medium to dilierent c ianibers and correspondingsections of the walls of the grain conduit independently of one anotherwhereby a variable length of the walls of said comjluit in the directionoi the flow oi grain may be heated.

15. In a grain heater the combination of a number of separate heatingchambers forming separate transverse sections of impertorate walls of aconduit for the flow of grain by gravity, supply and discharge pipesconnected with said chambers and provided with valves arranged toregulate and con trol the supply of a heating medium to differentchambers and corresponding sections of the walls of said conduitindependently of one another whereby a variable length of the walls ofsaid conduit in the direction of the flow of grain may be heated.

16. In a grain heater the combination of quadrangular and triangularheating chambers arranged horizontally to form opposing walls of zigzaggrain passages which intersect each other at intervals, said chambersbeing divided by longitudinal partitions into compartments whichcommunicate with one another at the end in each chamber and pipesprovided with valves for supplying the several chambers with a heatingmedium and for independently regulating the supply to each section ofthe heater.

1.7. In a grain heater the combination of a series of parallelhorizontally disposed quadrangular heating chambers arranged. one aboveanother with opposite angles of each at the top and bottom thereof,triangular heating chambers arranged to term therewith two zigzag grainpassages intersecting each other at intervals and means for supplying aheating medium to said chambers.

18. in a grain heater the combination of parallel horizontally disposedquadrangular heating chambers arranged one above another with oppositeangles of each at the top and bottom thereof, triangular heatingchambers forming therewith zigzag grain passages intersecting each otherat intervals, the walls of said chambers forming said passages beingcorrugated lengthwise of the passages, and means for supplying a heatingmedium to said chambers.

19. in a grain heater the combination of quadrangular heating chambers,triangular halt heating chambers and triangular qua-rter heatingchambers arranged to form intersecting zigzag grain passages, and meansfor supplying a heating medium to said ('li a mbers.

it). In a grain heater the combination of horizontally disposed angularheating chamhers arranged to term opposite walls of intorsecting zigzaggrain passages, spiders interposed between the ends of said chambers andprovided opposite the intersection of said pas gcs with alined bearings,a re CiDl'OCiitlllfl agitator bar mounted in said hearings and providedwith rods extending in opposite directions therefrom upwardly anddownwardly in said passages, and means for supplying a heating medium tosaid chambers.

21. In a grain heater the combination of horizontally disposed heatingchambers forming opposing walls of intersecting zigzag grain passages, afeed hopper at the upper ends of said passages, a discharge hopper Orspout at the lower end thereof, reciprocating agitator bars passingtransversely through said passages at the intersections thereof andprovided with arms extending transversely therefrom into said passages,and a vertical shaft at one end of the heater provided with eccentricswhich are connected with said bars.

22. In a grain heater the combination of a grain conduit havinglongitudinally corrugated walls, of a reciprocating agitator having armsarranged in said passages lengthwise of the corrugations of the wallsand movable transversely thereto.

23. In a grain heater the combination of horizontally disposed heatingchambers constructed and arranged to form opposing walls of intersectingzigzag grain passages, a feed hopper at the upper ends of the upperpassages, a combining, mixing and equalizing conduit connecting theupper with the lower passages, a combining, mixing and equalizingdischarge hopper at the lower ends of the lower passages reciprocatingagitators extending into and movable transversely to said passages,conduit and discharge hopper, a shaft provided with eccentrics, meansconnecting said eccentrics with said agitators, and means for supplyinga heating medium to the several chambers and regulating the supply toeach section independently.

In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK BRENNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

